584 BUTOMUS. [CLASS IX. order i. 



connate at the base. Seeds numerous, linear-oblong, attached to 



the whole inner lining of the capsule. Named from ^ovg, an 



ox ; and te/jivw, to cut ; because the sharp edges of the leaves cut 



the mouths of cattle that feed upon it. 



1. B, umhella'tus, Linn, (Fig. 664.) Common Floivering-rush, 



Leaves linear, triangular ; flowers in a terminal umbel ; involucre of 



three pieces. 



English Botany t. 651. — English Flora, vol. ii. p. 245. — Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 188 — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 272. 



Root fibrous, with white tuberous fleshy horizontal underground 

 stems. The whole plant smooth, of a loose cellular structure. Scape 

 from three to five feet high, solitary, round, simple, nalted. Leaves 

 erect, a little shorter than the scape, acutely triangular below, linear, 

 and flat above, often spirally twisted. Infiorescence a simple terminal 

 umbel, of numerous handsome /lowers, of a rose colour, nearly an inch 

 across when expanded. Involucre of three lanceolate, ovate, with 

 long narrow pointed pieces, concave, spreading. Pedicles of the ray 

 slender, spreading, about four inches long, each having at its base a 

 thin membranous sheathing bractea, of a brownish colour. Perianth 

 single, of six ovate concave pieces, the three inner ones smallest. 

 Stamens nine, six in an outer circle, three in the inner filaments, awl- 

 shaped, shorter than the perianth. Anthers oblong, of two cells, 

 bursting longitudinally, and then becoming contracted into a some- 

 what heart-shape. Style about as long as the compressed germen, 

 recvirved, with an oblong cleft stigma. Capsules six, oblong, crowned 

 with the persistent style. Seeds numerous, very small, attached to the 

 whole inner surface of the capsule. 



Habitat. — Ditches, the margins of rivers, and marshy places ; fre- 

 quent in England and Ireland, Duddingston Loch, and Loch of 

 Clunie, Scotland, but probably introduced. 



Perennial ; flowering in June and July. 



The Flowering-rush is the only British species in this Class of the 

 Linnaean system ; it is very common in many parts of England and 

 Ireland, and may be ranked amongst the most beautiful flowers. It 

 appears to have been used for ornamenting and decorations ; for 

 Gerarde says, " it is of all others the fairest and most pleasant to 

 behold, and servelh very well for the decking and trimming up of 

 houses, because of the beautie and braverie thereof." The leaves are 

 acrid, and somewhat purgative, but are rarely, if ever, used for any 

 other purposes than those of the common rush. 



The large terminal umbel of numerous flowers, varying in colour 

 from a deep pink to almost while, and often streaked with purple 

 render it a conspicuous and favourite flower. 



But independent of the general beauty of the flowers, they will not 

 fail, upon examination, to excite an additional interest. In them 

 will be observed the prevalence of the ternary disposition of the 

 several parts ; the leaves are triangular, the involucre is in three seg- 



